Similar to store-bought milk, eggs and bread, Korean-brewed Cass beer carries an expiration date on its packaging label. And that's why CoBees Enterprise Ltd. owner James Hwang of Port Moody believes his suds are sure to live a long life on the taste buds of its consumers once they sip it.
"Ninety per cent of bottled beer in the liquor stores is lager beer with no expiration date," said Hwang, adding that Cass is brewed via 100 per cent non-heat treatment (unpasteurized). "Unlike most wines and some spirits, beer does not get better with age. Just like fruits and vegetables, good beer has a limited shelf life. Once that optimum shelf life is exceeded, beer can take on an unpleasant, skunky aftertaste. [Cass] is fresh, crisp and clean and has only a one-year shelf life."
Cass is brewed and bottled by Oriental Brewery (OB) Ltd., a South Korean company that was established in 1952 by the Doosan Group. It was purchased by AB-InBev in 1998 and, last March, Hwang saw a void in the B.C. market for what he says has become Korean's No. 1 brand of brew.
His CoBees Enterprise Ltd. company is importing Cass out of Korea and is now selling it in liquor stores and Korean restaurants in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan, with plans of expanding as far east in Canada to Ontario as early as next month.
After working as an executive in Korea for a major international brewing company, Hwang was pleased to see the variety of beers available in Canada when he moved his family to PoMo seven years ago. Despite the expansive selection, however, he failed to find a suitable substitute for his favourite brand, Cass, from his native Korea.
"I wanted a better that I can see how fresh it is by the label on the bottle, and one that I know is naturally fresh without the use of preservatives," Hwang said. "Cass beer is currently the top-selling beer in Korea but not only Koreans in Canada will be happy to see [it] on the shelves, I think all Canadians looking for a good quality, crisp-tasting beer will also really enjoy it."
Hwang points out the regulatory process for importing beer to Canada is no simple and easily affordable task, but feels confident the quality and reputation of Cass will make it well-received on the Canadian market. He added about 200 bottles of Cass are being sold daily through his company, and that number is growing. He has 70 accounts with Korean restaurants and bars in the greater Vancouver area and believes the 80-20 ratio of Korean Cass drinkers to Canadians will eventually begin to grow closer together, with B.C. beer drinkers opting more and more for Cass over time.
"That's one thing many people from around the world share," Hwang said. "We all like good beer."
Best yet, Hwang believes, is one with an expiration date on its label.
Cass beer is 4.5 per cent alcohol volume and is available in the BC Liquor Stores at a cost of $10.69 for six 330 ml bottles and $3.58 for one 640 ml bottle. For more information about Cass beer, call 604-461-4619 or email [email protected]. A website written almost entirely in Korean can be found at www.cass.co.kr.
